Tag: Roger Clemens

MLB Hall of Fame 2011: Barry Bonds and 10 PED Users Who Deserve To Get In

This is a difficult time for many of those who believe the game will forever be tainted by the Performance Enhancing Drug era.

I refuse to call it the “Steroid Era” as many of the so-called cheaters never actually took a steroid. If you’re going to label something, it may as well be accurate.

I will admit that some of the things MLB players did during this time disgusts me. It’s not so much the fact that they cheated, but that they were so smug and arrogant that they thought they could get away with it.

So here we are with Hall of Fame ballots in our hands with blank looks on our faces. How are we supposed to vote? From this point on, how are we supposed to determine which players from this era deserve enshrinement and which deserve to be left outside with their noses pressed against the windows of the Hall of Fame?

In my opinion the players have to be taken on a case by case basis.

It is patently unfair to just take the players from the PED Era and lump them all together in one uniform group. There are some players that have never been linked to a PED, but have had guilt projected upon them nonetheless. I’m in favor of protecting them because they are being hunted as well.

I am going to look at not only PED users, but also those who have been unfairly targeted by some as being guilty by association.

I know this is a passionate subject for many, but passion should not suspend a person’s rationality. Unfortunately for many, it does.

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Roger Clemens: Does Major League Baseball Want You To Forget He Ever Existed?

To a certain extent this is excerpted from a recent write up on a battle between All Time Yankee’s & All Time Red Sox, though while writing about Roger Clemens and all of his recent travails it certainly felt like an interesting enough, or topical subject onto itself.

So we fleshed it out a bit with remarks about particular periods of seemingly extraordinary performance and we hope you’ll find it a worthwhile, conversational read.

That’s it for the preamble, DR. 

 

I admit it, at first it was complete and total brainlock that kept me from considering Roger Clemens from this format.

After, I readily considered giving it the old, well he was a juicer sluff off, which to a certain extent I still am, though eventually I came to feel it was an issue that deserved some open minded coverage from both sides of the coin.

So here we are (Career regular season stats can be found below). 

The Rocket burst onto the Red Sox scene in 1984, (when he won the Rookie Of The Year award in a truncated 9-4 season), and by 1986 he was already en route to being considered the best pitcher in baseball, going 24-4 with a 2.48 E.R.A, 238 K’s winning the first of three Cy Young awards in a Red Sox uniform. 

But by 1993 the Red Sox nation started to see a flameout and only three years later he was unceremoniously left to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays.

North of the border, the Rocket suddenly rekindled, winning 41 games in ’97 & ’98 as well as his fourth and fifth Cy Young awards. At the time, it just seemed like a change of venue boost; nobody really considered the possibility of Roger Clemens using performance enhancing drugs (or even knew much about performance enhancers back then), but looking back on it now, familiarized as we have been by the seeming ease with which one could—remember Ben Johnson!—or can get their hands on the stuff on Canadian turf, it goes to figure if there was a starting point for the usage 1997 & 1998 would be it.  

In 1999 at the age of 36 Clemens joined the New York Yankees, and while he was nowhere near the effective pitcher he was in Toronto or in his earlier years with the ‘Sox, he did win 77 regular season games for the Bombers in the ensuing five seasons. (One can openly wonder about the practical, continued or rampant use of steroids in the explosive eye of New York and all it’s press vs. the laid back environs of Toronto.) 

It was also in New York that he had his first real taste of post season success. With the ‘Sox he had been known as a regular season phenomenon, but a post season or big game bust. In nine postseason starts ranging from the age of 23 to the age of the 32, all with Boston, Clemens went 1-4.

With the Bombers, Clemens got 17 post season starts, winning seven and losing four with the highlight coming in 2000, (eight innings of two hit shutout ball vs. the rival cross town Mets), amidst the Piazza bat throwing incident when a presumably, if not momentarily deranged Rocket tossed a splintered bat that landed only few feet from Piazza’s person.

Then in 2004 at the age of 41, Clemens signed with the hometown Astros and did something that would have been considered beyond belief for almost anyone else as he went 18-4 for Houston and helped pitch the club into the NLCS.

The following year, Clemens won 13 games with a 1.87 ERA and made it back to the big dance as Houston squared of in the 2005 World Series with the Chicago White Sox in what turned out to be a losing effort.

Finally, at the age of 44, Clemens retired after a shot half season or so with the Yanks and from there looked to be on a dead track to becoming a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Of course that won’t happen now with all the allegations of steroid use, Clemens seemingly crazy denials, even going so far as to indict his wife as the recipient of injectable materials delivered to his Texas home.

All this continues to beg the omnipresent, two fold question, when did it start and where do the accusations leave Clemens as far as the game’s far reaching, historic channels go?

For now, it seems he is simply a non-person as far as Major League Baseball is concerned. Bud Selig very definitely wishes Clemens would go away for a long while, disassociate, as the Commissioner tries to work himself out from under never ending questions about performance enhancers and how they affected the game these past fifteen years or so.

For the everyday fan, well, he or she has been left to wonder if the miraculous turnaround seasons in Toronto, the ageless wonder seasons he engendered at home in Houston where he was able to do and train as he pleased, (not even accompanying the club on trips when he would not be pitching), were actually less to do with heaven sent or god given ability then to whatever it was he or personal trainer Brian McNamara might have been injecting into his rear.

One would think his numbers in Boston were legit because if he was juicing then, why would he have had so much fall off over the last couple of seasons in Beantown? Clemens attributed his rebound with the Jays to the addition of a lethal split finger, fastball, but with what we know now all of that is subject to serious debate.

From 1986 to 1992, seven full seasons, Roger Clemens was as good as it gets on a Major League level. The question from there is, was that as good as he was ever meant to be on a Major League Level with much of the ensuing success due to performance enhancing substances? 

The difference comes to this. In scenario A, Roger Clemens was a dominant pitcher with a blazing fastball who burned out after a truncated period of time and was meant to toil in mediocrity from there. In scenario B, he goes on to win another 150 games or so and ends up being considered one of the five greatest right hand pitchers in the history of the game and a surefire Hall Of Famer.

We know Clemens prefers scenario B. Most of the rest of us aren’t so sure all the protracted success should have ever come about and slowly but surely Roger Clemens the pitcher is fading from our memories. 

 

Feel free to chime in. Have a great New Year, 

DR

 

Year Age Tm Lg W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF ERA+ WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB Awards
1984 21 BOS AL 9 4 .692 4.32 21 20 0 5 1 0 133.1 146 67 64 13 29 3 126 2 0 4 575 97 1.313 9.9 0.9 2.0 8.5 4.34 RoY-6
1985 22 BOS AL 7 5 .583 3.29 15 15 0 3 1 0 98.1 83 38 36 5 37 0 74 3 3 1 407 131 1.220 7.6 0.5 3.4 6.8 2.00  
1986 23 BOS AL 24 4 .857 2.48 33 33 0 10 1 0 254.0 179 77 70 21 67 0 238 4 3 11 997 169 0.969 6.3 0.7 2.4 8.4 3.55 AS,CYA-1,MVP-1
1987 24 BOS AL 20 9 .690 2.97 36 36 0 18 7 0 281.2 248 100 93 19 83 4 256 9 3 4 1157 154 1.175 7.9 0.6 2.7 8.2 3.08 CYA-1,MVP-19
1988 25 BOS AL 18 12 .600 2.93 35 35 0 14 8 0 264.0 217 93 86 17 62 4 291 6 7 4 1063 141 1.057 7.4 0.6 2.1 9.9 4.69 AS,CYA-6
1989 26 BOS AL 17 11 .607 3.13 35 35 0 8 3 0 253.1 215 101 88 20 93 5 230 8 0 7 1044 132 1.216 7.6 0.7 3.3 8.2 2.47  
1990 27 BOS AL 21 6 .778 1.93 31 31 0 7 4 0 228.1 193 59 49 7 54 3 209 7 0 8 920 213 1.082 7.6 0.3 2.1 8.2 3.87 AS,CYA-2,MVP-3
1991 28 BOS AL 18 10 .643 2.62 35 35 0 13 4 0 271.1 219 93 79 15 65 12 241 5 0 6 1077 165 1.047 7.3 0.5 2.2 8.0 3.71 AS,CYA-1,MVP-10
1992 29 BOS AL 18 11 .621 2.41 32 32 0 11 5 0 246.2 203 80 66 11 62 5 208 9 0 3 989 176 1.074 7.4 0.4 2.3 7.6 3.35 AS,CYA-3,MVP-14
1993 30 BOS AL 11 14 .440 4.46 29 29 0 2 1 0 191.2 175 99 95 17 67 4 160 11 1 3 808 104 1.263 8.2 0.8 3.1 7.5 2.39  
1994 31 BOS AL 9 7 .563 2.85 24 24 0 3 1 0 170.2 124 62 54 15 71 1 168 4 0 4 692 178 1.143 6.5 0.8 3.7 8.9 2.37  
1995 32 BOS AL 10 5 .667 4.18 23 23 0 0 0 0 140.0 141 70 65 15 60 0 132 14 0 9 623 117 1.436 9.1 1.0 3.9 8.5 2.20  
1996 33 BOS AL 10 13 .435 3.63 34 34 0 6 2 0 242.2 216 106 98 19 106 2 257 4 1 8 1032 139 1.327 8.0 0.7 3.9 9.5 2.42  
1997 34 TOR AL 21 7 .750 2.05 34 34 0 9 3 0 264.0 204 65 60 9 68 1 292 12 0 4 1044 222 1.030 7.0 0.3 2.3 10.0 4.29 AS,CYA-1,MVP-10
1998 35 TOR AL 20 6 .769 2.65 33 33 0 5 3 0 234.2 169 78 69 11 88 0 271 7 0 6 961 174 1.095 6.5 0.4 3.4 10.4 3.08 AS,CYA-1,MVP-11
1999 36 NYY AL 14 10 .583 4.60 30 30 0 1 1 0 187.2 185 101 96 20 90 0 163 9 0 8 822 103 1.465 8.9 1.0 4.3 7.8 1.81  
2000 37 NYY AL 13 8 .619 3.70 32 32 0 1 0 0 204.1 184 96 84 26 84 0 188 10 1 2 878 131 1.312 8.1 1.1 3.7 8.3 2.24 CYA-6
2001 38 NYY AL 20 3 .870 3.51 33 33 0 0 0 0 220.1 205 94 86 19 72 1 213 5 0 14 918 128 1.257 8.4 0.8 2.9 8.7 2.96 AS,CYA-1,MVP-8
2002 39 NYY AL 13 6 .684 4.35 29 29 0 0 0 0 180.0 172 94 87 18 63 6 192 7 0 14 768 102 1.306 8.6 0.9 3.2 9.6 3.05  
2003 40 NYY AL 17 9 .654 3.91 33 33 0 1 1 0 211.2 199 99 92 24 58 1 190 5 0 5 878 113 1.214 8.5 1.0 2.5 8.1 3.28 AS
2004 41 HOU NL 18 4 .818 2.98 33 33 0 0 0 0 214.1 169 76 71 15 79 5 218 6 0 5 878 146 1.157 7.1 0.6 3.3 9.2 2.76 AS,CYA-1,MVP-8
2005 42 HOU NL 13 8 .619 1.87 32 32 0 1 0 0 211.1 151 51 44 11 62 5 185 3 1 3 838 226 1.008 6.4 0.5 2.6 7.9 2.98 AS,CYA-3,MVP-22
2006 43 HOU NL 7 6 .538 2.30 19 19 0 0 0 0 113.1 89 34 29 7 29 1 102 4 0 3 451 194 1.041 7.1 0.6 2.3 8.1 3.52  
2007 44 NYY AL 6 6 .500 4.18 18 17 0 0 0 0 99.0 99 52 46 9 31 0 68 5 0 7 420 108 1.313 9.0 0.8 2.8 6.2 2.19  
24 Seasons 354 184 .658 3.12 709 707 0 118 46 0 4916.2 4185 1885 1707 363 1580 63 4672 159 20 143 20240 143 1.173 7.7 0.7 2.9 8.6 2.96  
162 Game Avg. 17 9 .658 3.12 34 34 0 6 2 0 236 201 91 82 17 76 3 224 8 1 7 972 143 1.173 7.7 0.7 2.9 8.6 2.96

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MLB Rankings: The 25 Most Significant Steroid Driven Seasons of All Time

With Alex Rodriguez’s recent 600th career home run causing many fans to roll their eyes or talk smack about the 13 time All-Star, I rank the top 25 most significant steroid driven seasons of all time. All of these players are believed to have used steroids during the seasons mentioned. The only catch is that no player appears on this list more than once. Every player ranked below has either admitted to using illegal steroids, has been suspended for use, has appeared on the Mitchell Report, or at the very least, has been heavily rumored to have cheated.

25. Eric Gagne, 2003, (1.20 era, 55 saves, 0 blown saves, 137 k’s in 82.1 innings) This was the second of Gagne’s three consecutive dominant closing seasons for the Dodgers, as Gagne became the first relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in 11 years. Gagne broke the record for consecutive saves, eventually reaching 84 during the 2004 season. Ironically, while Gagne did not blow any saves during the regular season, Gagne blew a save during the 2003 All-Star Game, which helped the A.L. earn home field advantage in the World Series.

24. Brady Anderson, 1996, (.297, 50, 110). Before 1996, Anderson had been a solid leadoff man for many years in Baltimore, whose previous career high was 21 home runs. But in 1996, Anderson shocked the world by hitting 50 home runs while helping Baltimore reach the postseason for the first time in 13 years. Anderson was voted in to his first All-Star game in 1996 after hitting 30 homers by the All-Star break, and was also voted into the 1997 All-Star Game, likely due to the popularity he gained from hitting 50 home runs the season before. Anderson never went on to hit more than 24 home runs in a season, which raises the question: Are we supposed to believe this guy didn’t do steroids?

23. Rafael Palmeiro, 1999 (.324, 47, 148). When the Cubs traded Palmeiro to Texas after the 1988 season, the Cubs organization hinted that it was due to Palmeiro’s lack of power. Palmeiro was a frequent .300 hitter and made multiple All-Star appearances throughout his 20s, but did not put up serious power numbers until the Steroid Era. From 1995-2003, Palmeiro hit at least 38 home runs in a record 9 consecutive seasons. Also worth mentioning, Palmeiro is one of four players in history with 3000 hits and 500 home runs over a career. Palmeiro’s most significant season was probably 1999, when he set career highs in Batting Average, Home Runs, RBI, On Base percentage, and Slugging Percentage, while leading the Rangers to a franchise high 95 wins.

 22. Greg Vaughn, 1998, (.272, 50, 119) From 1996-1999, Greg Vaughn rejuvenated his career by hitting over 40 home runs three times in his 30s, including 50 in 1998. At the time it was easy to overlook Greg Vaughn’s impressive home run total in 1998 because his 50 home runs ranked just 3rd in the National League, behind McGwire and Sosa.

21. Richard Hidalgo, 2000 (.314, 44, 122) Richard Hidalgo hit 44 home runs out of nowhere for the Houston Astros in the first year of Enron Field, which immediately earned him a 30 million dollar contract at the age of 25. Hidalgo proved to be somewhat of a bust, never reaching 30 home runs ever again, while hitting under .260 throughout the rest of his career.

20. Bret Boone, 2001 (.331, 37, 141) This was Boone’s 10th major league season, but he miraculously shattered his previous single season career highs by 13 home runs, 46 RBI, 93 total bases, and 64 points in his batting average, all for the 2001 Mariners who won 116 regular season games. Boone went on to have just one other All-Star season before being released by the Mariners and Twins in 2006.

19. Javy Lopez, 2003 (.328, 43, 109, .678 SLG ) Javy Lopez is one of the better hitting catchers of all time, but unfortunately steroids were likely a factor. Javy Lopez hit 43 home runs in 2003, including 42 as a catcher, which remains the all time record for a single season.

18. Jose Canseco, 1988 (.307, 42, 124) Canseco admitted having used steroids as early as 1988. Now famous for being one of the most outspoken players regarding the steroid era, Canseco won the A.L. MVP in 1988, became the first 40-40 player, and led the A’s to 104 wins and a World Series appearance.

17. Kevin Brown, 1998, (18-7, 2.38 era), Brown won a career high 21 games back in 1992 with Texas, but did not become a consistent dominant force until the steroid era. In 1998, Brown struck out a career high 257 batters, while leading the Padres to their only World Series appearance in the last 25 years. Brown’s 3 year run of dominance from 1996-1998 earned him a 105 million dollar deal for 7 years, the biggest contract ever at the time.

16. Mo Vaughn, 1995, (.300, 39, 126) Vaughn had several great seasons from 1995-2000, including an MVP season in 1995. The Red Sox, led by Vaughn, won the AL East in 1995; their only division title from 1991-2006.

15. Albert Belle, 1995, (.317, 50, 126) Belle had his best season in 1995, hitting a career high 50 home runs, and could have hit even more had the season not started 18 games late due to the strike. 1995 was an unbelievable season for Belle, who led the A.L. in home runs, as well as doubles.

14. Juan Gonzalez, 1998 (.318, 45, 157) Juan Gonzalez was one of the best hitters in baseball from 1992 until 2001, hitting 35 home runs 7 times in those 10 years and winning 2 MVPs. His 157 RBI in 1998 were the most in the American League in 49 years.

13. Jeff Bagwell, 1994, (.368. 39, 116) Bagwell was rumored to have started taking steroids in 1993, the first .300 BA and 20 home run season of his career. 1994 was Bagwell’s best season, though strike shortened, as he won the NL MVP and posted an extremely high 1.201 OPS.

12. Andy Pettite, 2005 (17-9, 2.38 era) Pettite will be remembered most as a Yankee. However, arguably Pettite’s best season was 2005 when he had a career best 2.39 era and helped the Houston Astros win their franchises only 2 post season series, before losing to the White Sox in the World Series.

11. Ken Caminitti 1996 (.326, 40, 130) 1996 was Caminitti’s only 30 home run season, as he helped lead the Padres to a division title. Caminitti won the MVP that season and became a very popular San Diego player, until he later admitted that he took steroids during the 1996 season.

10. Jason Giambi, 2000 (.333, 43, 137) The Oakland A’s, from 1999-2006, were best known for their big 3 starting pitchers; Hudson, Mulder, and Zito. However, from 1999-2001, Jason Giambi tore up the league for the Oakland A’s. Giambi enjoyed an MVP season in 2000, while the Oakland A’s scored 947 runs with a lineup built around Giambi, who had a .476 on base percentage for the playoff bound A’s.

9. Mike Piazza, 1997, (.362, 40, 124) Piazza put up probably the best hitting season for a catcher of all time in 1997. His .362 BA tied an MLB record for catchers and his 40 home runs were one short of Todd Hundley’s record for catchers, but this was likely the product of a 62ndround pick exceeding expectations in big part due to steroids.

8. David Ortiz, 2003 (.288, 31, 101) David Ortiz was released in 2002 by the Twins, but miraculously turned his career around the following season, in 2003 with Boston, and ended up averaging 41 home runs from 2003-2007, while helping the Red Sox win 2 World Series.

7. Manny Ramirez, 1999, (.333, 44, 165) No player in the last 60 years has had more RBI in a single season than Manny Ramirez had in 1999, driving in 165. That season, the Cleveland Indians had one of the best offenses of all time, scoring a rare 1009 runs, with Ramirez in the middle of the lineup, driving in Lofton, Vizuel, and Alomar on a nightly basis. 

6. Alex Rodriguez, 2002, (.300, 57, 142) A-Rod recently admitted to steroid use during his 3 years in Texas, from 2001-2003. Rodriguez had great statistics in all 3 of his seasons with Texas, but his 2002 season featured a career high 57 home runs, 1 more than Ken Griffey Jr. ever hit in a single season.

5. Roger Clemens, 1997, (21-7, 2.05 era) Clemens was arguably the best major league pitcher from 1986 until 1992, a span in which he won 3 Cy Young awards, winning at least 17 games all 7 years. However, Clemens failed to win more than 11 games in any of his last 4 years in Boston, before somehow turning things around in Toronto. Clemens won the Cy Young award and the pitcher’s triple crown in each of his 2 season with Toronto, and his 2.05 era in 1997 was the lowest of any of Clemens’ record 7 Cy Young seasons. Clemens later went on to win 2 more Cy Young awards, with the Yankees and Astros, at the ages of 39 and 42.

4. Luis Gonzalez, 2001, (.328, 57, 145) Luis Gonzalez was one of the better hitters in the league from 1999- 2003, but nobody expected the kind of protection Gonzalez enjoyed in 2001, as Gonzalez demolished his previous season high of 31 homers by cranking out 57. This season also included Gonzalez enjoying the game winning hit in the bottom of the 9th in game 7 of the World Series, as well as a Home Run Derby title. 2001 defined Luis Gonzalez’s career and was one of the best seasons of all time, but was likely influenced by steroids.

 3. Sammy Sosa, 1998 (.308, 66, 158) It was difficult to decide between 1998 or 2001 as Sosa’s most significant season, but while Sosa hit 64 home runs and drove in a career high 160 runs in 2001, Sosa won his only MVP award in 1998 and hit a career high 66 home runs, becoming just the 2nd player ever to crack 61 at the time. Sosa averaged 57 home runs from 1998-2001, hitting the most homers ever by a player in a 5 year period. Somehow Sosa managed to have 3 seasons in which he hit 63 or more home runs, but did not lead the NL in homers.

2. Mark McGwire, 1998, (.299 70 147) 1998 was the year of the epic home run race between McGwire and Sammy Sosa, and the year that most defines the steroid era. McGwire’s 62nd home run excited America, breaking the 37 year old, record. However, these days it seems like people forget how great of a moment it was at the time, after all of the steroid allegations. McGwire posted unbelievable statistics in 1998, with not only 70 home runs, but a .470 On Base Percentage and .752 Slugging Percentage; numbers that were exceeded by Bonds in the first half of the 2000s.

1. Barry Bonds, 2001, (.328 73, 137) Bonds was one of the best all around players before the steroid era really began and may have been clean throughout that period. Towards the end of 1999, after an elbow injury, Bonds’ career seemed to be on the decline . However, Bonds suddenly tore up the league like nothing we have ever seen in the the first half of the 2000s, highlighted by 2001, when Bonds broke the all time single season home run record, set 3 years before by McGwire. Bonds set several OPS records from 2001-2004 and Bonds remains the all time leader for both single season home runs and all time home runs. Notably, Bonds never hit more than 49 homer runs in any season other than 2001.

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The Best World Series since 1990: Where Does 2010 Rank?

Many a person have made “Best of World Series” lists in recent years.  With the conclusion of the 2010 World Series, it is time to rank the 2010 World Series with those of recent years. 

For convenience’s sake, I have reserved this list to include just those since 1990, when the wild card, PEDs, Braves and Yankees dynasties and the end of a few curses arrived.

I have ranked these series based on, not only on the drama of the series, but in the backstory and heart of the teams playing in them as well. With that in mind, let’s begin.

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NLCS 2010: Giants vs. Phillies and the Top 10 Pitching Matchups in MLB History

The 2010 National League Championship series between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies has already given us some sterling starting pitching. Despite what a few of the the classier Philly fans believe.

Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum hooked Cy Young horns in Game 1 and, though neither was on top of his superlative game, they still managed to whiff 15 batters in an evenly split 14 combined innings.

Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Sanchez dueled in Game 2 with the Phillies’ ace walking away the better man on the evening. The midseason acquisition spun eight frames of three-hit ball, surrendering Cody Ross’ fourth postseason big fly in the fifth inning as his only blemish.

Sanchez wasn’t quite as dirty, but he managed five erratic innings while only allowing two earned runs to a vastly superior offense.

And the fun isn’t over yet.

With the seven-gamer knotted at a game apiece, the Gents and Phightin’s will give us at least three more scintillating matchups between starting pitchers.

Matt Cain and Cole Hamels will reignite hostilities when the series opens in the City on Tuesday, and we’ll probably see rookie phenom Madison Bumgarner before another dose of Doc Vs. the Franchise in Game 5.

Depending on how the contests unfold, we might see one crack this list of the top 10 pitching matchups in the history of Major League Baseball.

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Ken Burns’ The Tenth Inning: A New Perspective on Steroids in Baseball

Ken Burns’ documentary The Tenth Inning aired nationally last week, picking up on his original nine-inning documentary series, Baseball.  One of the central themes of the documentary was how rampant steroid use in baseball shaped the state of the game from the post-strike period until now. 

Now, I’m not here to review the doc, which was great.  I’m here to give a little perspective on steroid use in baseball.  My opinion started to evolve this summer while working in the minors as the broadcast and media relations intern for the Kinston Indians, Cleveland’s Advanced-A affiliate.  Burns’ documentary only helped to reinforce those new-found beliefs.

I used to be like the majority of baseball fans, disgusted that these macho players had taken more shots than a frat guy on his 21st birthday and were cheating their way into the record books.  This past season made me realize that baseball is so much harder than people think.  Fans believe that players just show up, take batting practice and play baseball, and have the easiest and best job in the world. 

What most fans don’t appreciate is the difficulty of surviving the grind of playing stretches that can be as many as 30 days in a row without a off day.  The players go through 140 games in a minor league season and 162 in the majors.  I was just working for the team in a non-labor intensive job, and even I was mentally and physically exhausted by the time mid-August came around. 

The players, who are going through workouts, batting practice and the game itself, are all afflicted by bumps, bruises and injuries of some sort.  There is not a single player that isn’t hurting and/or tired by the time the stretch run comes around. 

How much do you think minor league ballplayers make?  Sure, early-round draft picks make big bonuses, but after that, everyone might as well be selling popcorn at the stadium for how much they get in salary. 

Where am I going with this?  There are so many players trying to make it to the majors and fringe major leaguers fighting just to keep their jobs.  Those that have a fairly stable spot in the majors, still have the battle to make more money and gain recognition along with winning awards and championships. 

It takes so much more than talent to be successful in baseball.  Players have to be able to stay consistent through the everyday grind and avoid major injury.    

Along came steroids.  Here’s a drug that will help your body recover through the long grind of a season, increase strength and muscle and improve baseball performance.  That helps players to get to the majors, stay in the majors and make more money.  Oh, and everyone is doing it, so if you don’t, the playing field is tilted against you.  Good luck making it to the major leagues, young prospect, and good luck staying there, crafty veteran. 

I almost forgot to mention, baseball is the one sport where you can do steroids and get away with it!  They won’t even test you!

Of course, there are a plethora of short-term side effects and long-term health risks that arise with steroids that still make them wise to turn down.

I don’t know who originally said this but it makes sense: “If you could take a shot or a pill to earn more money at your job wouldn’t you do it?”  Baseball players are constantly in the spotlight and are under immense pressure to perform at the highest level. 

My intent is not to apologize for the players, but just to present their reasoning.  Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire are the faces of the steroid era for their record-breaking performances, but there were plenty of unidentified users during that time period who in some way owed their jobs to the juice. 

It’s a sad commentary on that time, and it’s refreshing to see some signs that the era is over.  There have been six no-hitters in 2010, including Roy Halladay’s postseason no-no on Wednesday.  According to Baseball-Reference.com, this season featured the lowest ERAs in each league since 1992 and fewest home runs per game since 1993.  The purists are thrilled, but those who grew up in the homer-happy era might start pining for the long ball sometime soon. 

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Hank Aaron Takes High Road on Barry Bonds, Steroids Issue

Hank Aaron was recently at the US Open to receive the U.S. Tennis Association’s “Breaking the Barriers” award.

While there he was asked about Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and the steroid era in baseball as a whole.

Aaron was able to sum up his thoughts in a single word:

“Saddened,” Aaron said. “I’m not a judge and I’m not a juror, and I don’t know who’s guilty and who’s what. I’m just saddened for baseball and saddened for Clemens and Bonds, both.”

Aaron said he hasn’t given any thought to whether Bonds’ or Clemens’ achievements should stand as they are or be accompanied with an asterisk.

“I have too much to worry about to worry about Clemens and Bonds,” Aaron said.

Although Aaron probably has a lot to say on this issue, he chose the humble and admirable route of keeping quiet and taking the high road.

Aaron could have easily caused a media scene. He could have said he feels asterisks should be adjacent to the records. He could have said he should still be the “Home Run King.”

Instead, he pushed the issue to the side and, in a sense, told the world he was ready to move on. He admitted he was saddened by what had happened to baseball over the past few years but was reluctant to go into detail.

 

 

Aaron realizes that the records are there and his opinion is not going to change them. No matter what Aaron says, baseball will do whatever baseball wants to do, so there is no point in talking about steroids all the time.

This is something admirable and something that needs to be copied by many others. Aaron made the right choice by avoiding the steroids topic as much as he could.

If baseball wants to move past this issue, it is going to need to copy this approach and avoid talking about steroids as much as possible.

Obviously, they cannot ignore a whole era of baseball and questions will continue to be brought up, but baseball should avoid it as much as possible. If someone is caught using them, then talk about it. When Clemens is in court, talk about it. Otherwise, focus the attention on the playoff races and the rest of the 2010 season.

The whole steroid conversation has begun to feel like Brett Favre in that it is something that never seems to go away.

Thankfully at least one person, Hank Aaron, seems to be just as tired of steroids and wants baseball to move forward.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Roger Clemens: Why Today’s Plea Seals His Hall Of Fame Fate

Roger Clemens plead not guilty to the perjury charges levied against him Monday, according to a report from the Associated Press. 

Clemens was accused of lying to  Congress during a hearing regarding the use of steroids and HGH in baseball.

If he’s convicted, he faces jail time of up to 30 years, and a fine up to $1.5 million. But the real damage was done today, as Clemens’ not guilty plea has already sealed his fate.

Here are 10 reasons why Clemens’ Hall of Fame dreams were dashed today.  

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Roger Clemens Indictment: Clemens Case Drips In Strangeness

Now on the docket – Roger the Rocket. Except the grand jury felt he should instead be wearing Roger Staubach’s nickname.

The indictment cites 15 instances of Clemens obstructing Congress. “Hell, only 15?” Clemens asks, “I’ve struck out more batters than that in one game.”

The indictment drips in strangeness.

Our theory is that Clemens, back in February of 2008, embarked on a strategy of denial, thinking that even if he is indicted of obstruction his buddy, George W., would pardon him.

Perhaps he did not realize congress moves EVEN slower than one of his games.

Strange… drippingly strange. How strange was this experience? Hark back to February 13th, 2008 in the Senate hearing room. See how this sounds:

Clemens Steroid Testimony Gets Weird


We didn’t think the Rogers Clemens-Brian McNamee he-said- he-said Oversight Committee hearings would get this strange because we weren’t prepared for that trickster, Chairman Henry Waxman, and his tricky, tricky ways. Just listen in:

Chairman Waxman: So Mr. Clemens, you say you have four sons, Koby, Kory, Kacy and Kody? Isn’t that a bit Kurious?  
   

Roger Clemens:  No, sir. When you are a hall-of-fame pitcher who worked hard for everything he got and didn’t get this body from a bottle, you get the opportunity to visit the troops in Kuwait. When you are in Kuwait the troops will tell you stay away from Brian the Liar McNamee but they also want to see how many strikeouts you can throw, in sweltering weather, I might add, and we call strikeouts “k”s. What was the question?
   
Chairman Waxman: If I hold my hand over this burning candle, would you call me a liar?
Roger Clemens: Because it’s melting wax? And you’re a …. I’m not sure I understand the question…
Chairman Waxman: I will turn the next question over to this bystander, Mr. Foxworthy.
Jeff Foxworthy: Mr. Clemens, if your family tree doesn’t fork and the dogs all live under the porch and the first name of all your children begins with a “K” is it possible… I say is it possible you are not smarter than a Fifth Grader?
Roger Clemens: Mr. Waxman, I think that is out of line… your hand is getting too close to that candle. I think it’s dripping… is that wax?

Chairman Waxman: I will now turn over the next question to Mr. Wahlberg. Mr. Mark Wahlberg.

Roger Clemens: But you’re not Marky Mark. I was told Mark Wahlberg was going to be here. I loved that movie… InVincible… You’re not…
Mark Wahlberg: No my name is Mark L. Wahlberg and you don’t mind if we hook you up to a polygraph, do you? Because I host a new game show called The Moment of Truth.

Roger Clemens: Hey, what are you doing? Stop that. I didn’t agree to…

Chairman Waxman: May I remind you? You are under oath.
Mark Wahlberg: These first questions will be softballs, Roger. When you put a high hard one in Mike Piazza’s ear, were you trying to send him a message or were you hoping to see a little brain tissue leak out his helmet?
Roger Clemens: What does this have to do with shooting vitamins up my butt?
Chairman Waxman: Just answer the question. How bad were you trying to injure Mike Piazza?
Roger Clemens: I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I just was…
Voice of Polygraph Operator: I’m sorry, that is NOT the truth
Clemens Steroid Testimony Gets Weird  by Stan Silliman humor sports comedy cartoons articles
Mark Wahlberg: When Brian McNamee injected both you and your wife with HGH, how many years younger did he say you both would look – 3 years, 5 years or 8 years?
Roger Clemens: This is ridiculous….
Voice of Polygraph Operator: That is NOT…
Roger Clemens: Okay, 5 years…
Voice of Polygraph Operator: That is NOT…
Roger Clemens: Okay, okay … 8 years. But she was getting wrinkles. And I was getting pudgy around here. And my butt was flabby. It was not a pretty sight from second base. ARod said something…
Voice of Polygraph Operator:  Boy, is that EVER the TRUTH!!
Mark L. Wahlberg: Did you play in a charity Pro-Am, hit your ball into the rough, go to the rough, not find your ball but then drop another ball from the cuff in your pants and claim you scored a par?
Roger Clemens: Yes, but you must understand. While I was in the rough, Brian McNamee was hiding behind a tree and then injected me with strawberry flavored steroids while two midgets fondled me.
 

     

    

 

 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


Roger Clemens: Five Tainted Moments of Greatness

Roger Clemens, the best pitcher of this generation and arguably the best ever, has certainly fallen on hard times since his retirement following the 2007 season.

Since being named in the infamous Mitchell Report as being an alleged steroid user, Clemens has denied such charges on 60 Minutes, been re-accused by former personal trainer Brian McNamee of the same allegations, and subsequently denied them again, this time in front of Congress.

Things got a bit darker for The Rocket last week when he was indicted by a federal court on six counts, most notably two perjury charges, stemming from his denial on Capitol Hill in February, 2008. The grand jury trial is expected to start late this year or early next year and will certainly mar Clemens’ legacy even further as it will be dissected every-which-way for weeks and months, regardless of how high-profile his defense team may be.

So with as many milestones surpassed and awards won as any pitcher in history, we should begin to look at some of his accomplishments in lieu of the fact that he may very well have been using steroids.

However, it would be unfair to throw everything he’s done under the bus at once, as Clemens has never been accused of taking steroids for his entire career.

Instead, let’s take a look at some of Clemens’ more memorable moments that fall in the range of his suspected use. For that time table, we will be focusing on the years of 1998, 2000 and 2001, as these are the seasons in which McNamee has testified that he and Clemens spoke explicitly about steroid use and that he even injected Clemens on several occasions.

Considering the fact that a grand jury believes McNamee enough to indict “The Rocket,” I’d say we’re pretty safe in assuming there is more to his testimony than a scorned trainer trying to make a name for himself.

So in chronological order, here are five of Clemens’ most notable moments on the baseball field that are directly in the shadow of his cloud of steroid allegations.

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